The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-11-19
DARING STAGE ROBBER.
Romantic Career Of Bill Brazzleton, a
Noted Highwayman.
From the 81. Louis Post Dispatch

men than any other portion of the United
States domain. Not that the inhabitants Of
Arizona are inherently worse than those of
other border countries; but its wide plains,
its mountain Businesses, its scarcity of water
and the general conditions that prevail here
are favorable to the exercise of deeds OF
outlawry. The civil authorities have at last
pretty well triumphed over the old-time des-
peradoes, and the military having driven OIL
the Apaches the Territory is now almost as
secure a place of residence as New York
There is now and then train robbery. but
it has not been long since the civilized State
of Missouri had this sort of diversion every
month or two, so that IL is by no means
novelty.
THE MOST RECENT TRAIN ROBBERY
near here was the one about twenty miles
east on the Southern Pacific, when two men
stopped a passenger train about 10 o'clock at
night, and took ST. 900 from the Wells
Fargo express messenger. 1t was the most
daring train robbery yet perpetrated, mas
much as two men did the entire job, not
withstanding the presence of any quantity
of guns and pistols among the railway Off
cials and passengers. The robbers got away
with their booty, and have so far eluded
every effort at their capture. They were
followed day or two, when rain obllter-
ated their trail, and that was the end of 1t.
But in the days before railroads, when
stage-coaches answered the purposes OF the
heavy travel. there were even more daring
robberies than this Tucson had the honor
of producing man named
BILL BRAZZLEToN.
who made a business of robbing stages
single-handed, and in all that goes to make
up the wary, skillful and successful high
wayman he took precedence of all his kind
and yet holds it. l have heard many stories
of Brazzleton. He was killed only six or
seven years ago, and most of the people
here knew him well. While he was not
native of Tucson, he came here when he was
a young man and began work iii livery
stable He was naturally of wild and I'M
tamable nature, and had physique that was
the perfection of power and symmetry. He
was as quick and agile as panther and was
the easy master OF any horse he undertook
to ride. His occupation was well
suited to his taste. 1t fell to his
duty to escort travellers on long distances
through an uninhabited and dangerous
country, and in many of the journeys there
would be such hazards and privatlons as are
known only to the hardy frontiersman. he
could ride 100 miles day over a desert and
through mountain passes with as much ease
as Londoner can canter down Rotten Row.
He was so superb in every essential of
safe under his guardianship. He could drive
as we'll as he could ride, and he became
familiar with all the stage routes OF the
country.
WHEN AT HOME
he spent all his leisure IN practising with
his rifle and revolver, and became the most
certain shot in all the region. This was an
accomplishment to be proud Of in commu-
nifty in which the art of shooting was car
ried to the highest degree of excellence.
People used to wonder why Bill BrazzletOn
practised shooting so much. 1t was always
a mania with him: but he afterward had
need of all the skill he had acquired; and
who knows but that he even at that time
had an eye to the Dick Turpih style of life
that he afterward lived: He could do what
/ have never heard of any other mans
doing - stand fronting target,
turn a somersault and hit the bulls
eye three times out Of five as he came up.
This was done with a revolver, at twenty
PAGES A shot by him from the same
weapon while standing, walking, running
or riding at full speed would inevitably go
just where he wanted it, and any man
whom he got "the drop onn was sure to fall
as the bulle5 left its chamber. Bill was
nearly 30 years old before be went into
the business of robbing stage coaches. He
was possessed of unusual neutral sense, had
read some and knew a GOOD deal about the
world. It may BE- said with the utmost
truth that he reflected credit upon his pro-
fession. His robberies were all perpetrated
in the most approved manner, and with
little OF no danger to his victims beyond the
oSs of their valuables.
He was the first and only man in Arizona
who ever robbed a stage coach alone, and
in this particular he surpassed even the
daring of the two men who ''held up the
a., f,.,-
ago. BraZzleton never had an assistant i'll
any of his robberies, and, so far as known,
never made confidant of but one man, and
this man finally betrayed him to the posse
of law officers by whom he was killed. He
once robbed stage coach containing seven
passengers, all of whom We're prepared for
him They knew of him and had started out
from Tucson thoroughly armed. Brazzle-
ton, no doubt heard OF it, through his con-
fidant, who was one of the hands at the
stable, where he himself had worked in
former days, and he determined to give
these seven men opportunity to defend
themselves. He posted himself out on the
road about twenty miles from Tucson, and
about II O'Clock he saw the coach coming.
He was just over the brow of hill and
could not be seen by the driver or passen-
gers. He sat on his horse, leveled his rifle,
and as they came over the hill they saw
both rider and gun, and they knew at once
who it was and what it meant. He COM
manded them not to move hand, and they
obeyed. The reYolvers hung unused at
their sides, and their rifles lay idle
in the bottom of Z the coach.
They knew it was death to somebody the
moment a move was made, and they sat
transfixed with fear. He commanded them
to get out one by one, lay down their arms
stand in a row aud divest themselves of all
their money and valuables. They did this
piling about Sl2 900 worth of treasure in a
heap before them. They were then told to
get back in the coach and drive on. Mr.
Brazzleton taking possession of everything
that had been left behind. This story sounds
Incredible but some of those who We're in
the coach at the time still live in this coun-
try, and they verify it to the letter.
BRAzzLEToN TOOK PARTICULAR DELIGHT
in this style of robbery. 1t was passion
with him, and he seemed to indulge it more
for the pleasure it gave him than for the
money ne secured. He cared nothing for
money for its own sake and spent but little,
as he neither drank nor gambled. 1t was
no uncommon thing for him TO rob people
and then return part or all he had taken.
He once ran foul of a newspaper man who
HAD but $40. When Bra2zleton learned his
business he gave back s., with the remark
that he would probably need it, He had
great regard for women, and would never
rob stage coach where any Of the passeu-
gers were women. If he ever killed any
body have not heard Of it, but he was,